Workflow Migration: SharePoint 2013 to Power Automate

The Workflow Migration Imperative

SharePoint 2013 workflows are deprecated, and SharePoint 2010 workflows have been retired. Organizations still running legacy workflows face increasing risk as Microsoft phases out support. Power Automate represents the modern replacement, offering significantly enhanced capabilities but requiring thoughtful migration planning.

Understanding the Landscape

Legacy Workflow Technologies

SharePoint 2010 Workflows

• Fully retired July 2024
• No longer functional in SharePoint Online
• Must migrate or lose functionality

SharePoint 2013 Workflows

• Deprecated, retirement announced
• Still functional but unsupported
• New workflows cannot be created
• Migration strongly recommended

SharePoint Designer Workflows

• Created in SharePoint Designer
• Either 2010 or 2013 engine
• Cannot be directly converted
• Require rebuild in Power Automate

Power Automate Advantages

Enhanced Capabilities

• 600+ connectors (vs limited SharePoint actions)
• Advanced logic and expressions
• AI Builder integration
• Cross-platform automation

Modern Architecture

• Cloud-native design
• Automatic updates
• Better monitoring and analytics
• Enterprise-grade reliability

User-Friendly Design

• Visual designer
• Templates for common scenarios
• Mobile management app
• Copilot-assisted creation

Migration Assessment

Workflow Inventory

Discovery Process

```powershell

# Connect to SharePoint Online

Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://contoso.sharepoint.com -Interactive

# Get all workflows in site collection

$webs = Get-PnPSubWeb -Recurse -IncludeRootWeb

foreach ($web in $webs) {

$lists = Get-PnPList -Web $web

foreach ($list in $lists) {

$workflows = Get-PnPWorkflowSubscription -List $list

foreach ($wf in $workflows) {

[PSCustomObject]@{

Site = $web.Url

List = $list.Title

WorkflowName = $wf.Name

Created = $wf.Created

Status = $wf.StatusColumnCreated

}

}

}

}

```

Inventory Attributes

Document for each workflow:

• Name and description
• Trigger type (manual, item created, etc.)
• Associated list/library
• Actions performed
• Frequency of execution
• Business criticality
• Owner/stakeholder

Complexity Assessment

Simple Workflows (Low Effort)

• Single approval routing
• Basic email notifications
• Status field updates
• File operations

Moderate Workflows (Medium Effort)

• Multi-stage approvals
• Conditional branching
• External data lookups
• Document generation

Complex Workflows (High Effort)

• Custom code activities
• External system integration
• Complex business rules
• Multi-list coordination

Prioritization Framework

Migration Priority Matrix

| Criticality | Complexity | Priority |

|-------------|------------|----------|

| High | Low | Migrate First |

| High | High | Plan Carefully |

| Low | Low | Quick Wins |

| Low | High | Consider Retiring |

Planning the Migration

Migration Approaches

Lift and Shift

Recreate workflow logic exactly:

• Maintains familiar behavior
• Quick user adoption
• May not leverage new capabilities
• Good for simple workflows

Optimize and Migrate

Improve while migrating:

• Address known issues
• Add error handling
• Enhance notifications
• Better for moderate workflows

Redesign

Rebuild from requirements:

• Leverage full Power Automate capabilities
• Modern user experience
• May require change management
• Best for complex workflows

Timeline Considerations

Phased Approach

• Phase 1: Critical workflows (high business impact)
• Phase 2: High-volume workflows (frequent execution)
• Phase 3: Department workflows (moderate impact)
• Phase 4: Low-priority/candidate for retirement

Parallel Running

For critical workflows:

• Run legacy and new simultaneously
• Compare results
• Build confidence before cutover
• Plan for data synchronization

Power Automate Fundamentals

Trigger Types

Automated Triggers

• When an item is created
• When an item is modified
• When a file is created/modified
• Scheduled recurrence

Instant Triggers

• Manually triggered (button)
• Power Apps button
• Teams message
• From another flow

Understanding Trigger Differences

Legacy workflows triggered on item events. Power Automate offers more options:

• Multiple triggers per flow (premium)
• Trigger conditions (filter at source)
• Concurrent running controls

Common Actions

SharePoint Actions

• Create/update/delete items
• Get items (with OData filter)
• Send HTTP request (advanced)
• Grant/remove access

Approval Actions

• Start and wait for approval
• Create approval
• Wait for approval response
• Custom approval options

Email Actions

• Send email (Outlook)
• Send email (Sendgrid, others)
• Post to Teams channel
• Adaptive cards

Expression Basics

Common expressions for migration:

```

// Get current date

utcNow()

// Format date

formatDateTime(triggerBody()?['Created'], 'MM/dd/yyyy')

// Concatenate strings

concat('Hello ', triggerBody()?['Title'])

// Conditional

if(equals(triggerBody()?['Status'], 'Approved'), 'Yes', 'No')

```

Migration Patterns

Pattern 1: Simple Approval

Legacy Workflow

• Start on item created
• Send approval request
• Update status based on response
• Send notification

Power Automate Equivalent

```

Trigger: When an item is created

Action: Start and wait for an approval

Action: Condition (Outcome equals 'Approve')

Yes: Update item (Status = Approved)

No: Update item (Status = Rejected)

Action: Send an email (notification)

```

Pattern 2: Multi-Stage Approval

Legacy Complexity

• Sequential approvers
• Escalation timeouts
• Delegation handling

Power Automate Approach

• Use approval actions in sequence
• Configure timeout with parallel branch
• Handle reassignment with conditions
• Consider approval templates

Pattern 3: Document Processing

Legacy Workflow

• Copy/move documents
• Set metadata
• Convert formats

Power Automate Enhancement

• OneDrive/SharePoint actions for files
• PDF conversion capabilities
• AI Builder for classification
• Content approval integration

Pattern 4: External Integration

Legacy Limitation

• Limited external connectivity
• Custom web service calls difficult
• Error handling challenging

Power Automate Capabilities

• HTTP connector for APIs
• Premium connectors for major systems
• Custom connectors for proprietary systems
• Error handling with scope/try-catch

Testing and Validation

Test Strategy

Unit Testing

• Test individual actions
• Verify expressions
• Check error handling
• Validate outputs

Integration Testing

• End-to-end flow execution
• External system connections
• Permission verification
• Performance under load

User Acceptance Testing

• Business scenario validation
• Comparison with legacy results
• Edge case handling
• Documentation verification

Parallel Validation

For critical workflows:

• Execute both legacy and new
• Compare outcomes
• Document discrepancies
• Resolve issues before cutover

Cutover and Retirement

Cutover Process

Pre-Cutover

• Final testing complete
• Stakeholder sign-off
• Communication sent
• Support team briefed

Cutover Steps

• Disable legacy workflow
• Enable Power Automate flow
• Monitor initial executions
• Address issues immediately

Post-Cutover

• Monitor for 2 weeks minimum
• Gather user feedback
• Document lessons learned
• Retire legacy workflow

Legacy Workflow Retirement

Disable, Don't Delete

• Keep legacy workflows disabled initially
• Provides rollback option
• Reference for troubleshooting
• Delete after confidence period

Documentation

Archive for each retired workflow:

• Original design documentation
• Migration mapping
• Test results
• Cutover date

Governance for Power Automate

Environment Strategy

Default Environment

• Available to all users
• Limited connectors recommended
• Personal productivity flows

Production Environment

• Business-critical flows
• Managed connector policies
• DLP policies applied
• Change management required

Data Loss Prevention

Configure DLP policies:

• Define business vs. non-business data
• Block risky connector combinations
• Apply to specific environments
• Regular policy reviews

Monitoring and Management

Power Platform Admin Center

• Flow inventory
• Usage analytics
• Error monitoring
• Capacity management

Center of Excellence Starter Kit

• Advanced analytics
• Compliance tracking
• Adoption metrics
• Cleanup tools

Conclusion

Migrating from SharePoint 2013 workflows to Power Automate requires systematic planning but delivers significant long-term benefits. By thoroughly assessing existing workflows, choosing appropriate migration strategies, and implementing proper governance, organizations can successfully modernize their automation capabilities.

Ready to migrate your legacy workflows? Contact our automation specialists for a workflow assessment and migration roadmap.